Combined wire bag tie and handle



United States Patent Dana L. Murphy Nashua Road, East Pepperell, Mass.01437 787,791

Dec. 30, 1968 Dec. 22, 1970 lnventor Appl. No. Filed Patented COMBINEDWIRE BAG TIE AND HANDLE 9 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

US. 150/12, 229/52, 229/54, 229/63; 16/114 Int. Cl A45c 13/26, 865d33/06 FieldofSearch 16/110,

114; 229/54, 63, 65, 52A, 52AW, 52AL, (Handle Digest), 68C, 54C; 150/12,33; 2l5/100A; 24/30.5; 224/5-17, 50, 55, 56, 58, 57

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,237,930 8/1917 Malvern etal 150/12 2,437,055 3/1948 Thompson 224/57 2,749,172 6/1956 Jacobs";224/57X 2,980,314 4/1961 Adams 229/63X FOREIGN PATENTS 259,274 6/1949Switzerland 224/56 855,517 11/1952 Germany 24/24 PrimaryExaminer-Raphael H. Schwartz Attorney-Pearson and Pearson ABSTRACT: Acontainer such as a potato bag, of the type normally closed by bunchingthe neck and twisting a wire tie i into a loop around the neck isprovided with a hand grip attached to the looped tie. The closed bag maythus be lifted by the hand grip rather than by the bunched neck. Thepull on the handle snubs the wire tie into a firmer grip on the neck ofthe bag.

comma!) WIRE also TIE HANDLE BACKGROUND or THE INVENTION A wire tieclosure, for potato bags is well known. One who has sought to carry apotato bag from market to car, or car to house, by gripping the elusivean slippery material of the bunched neck, will be aware that is is notan efficient handle.

It has heretofore been'proposedto provided a potato bag with a built inwire tie, asin U.S. Pat. No. 2,980,314 to Adams of Apr. 18, 1961, and ithas been proposed to use a tape as a bag tie and form a loop in the tapeas a handle in U.S. Pat. No. 2,849,171 to O'Brien of Aug. 26, 1958-.Forming the tie into a handle loop is. also taught in U.S.f Pat. No.3,066,846 to Domigan ofDec. 4, I962.

It will be understood that using a wire, or tape, narrow enough to besuccessfully tied, or twisted, as a carrying handle, by joining theterminal ends into a loop, will create an uncomfortable, small crosssection loop'which'will cut into the hands when the bag is a heavypotato bag.

SUMMARY or THE rNvENr oN In this invention, therefore, the bag closingtying means is of bendable wire, and the handle means is of somematerial other than wire, such as sheet, or molded plastic, and themetal tie is received in an opening in the handle means. The handlemeans is substantially flat and relatively wide in the upper portion toinclude a finger aperture and offer a comfortable grip to the user. Thelower portion is flexible and tough,-and tapers to a reduced widthsubstantially conforming to the dimensions of the bunched neck of thebag. The lower portion is turned back upon itself to form an opening, orloop, which receives the central portion of the wire tie. Thehand gripthus can normally lie down against the bag, but, when grasped andlifted, it tilts the wire .tie loop to cause a snubbing action, or mayeven cause the wire to embed itself in the folds of paper, therebyassuring that the loop will not slip off the neck;

v BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THEDRAWING FIG. -1 is a fragmentary perspectiveview showing a device of the invention with; the hand grip not in use;'

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, showing the'hand grip in use and theloop tilted; I j

FIG. 3 is a side elevation, on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 4 is an end elevation, of a device-of the invention prior touse; a

FIG. 5 is a, fragmentary'view, similar to.FIG.. 3. of another embodimentof the invention; and

FIG. '6 is a view similar toFIG. 4 of another embodiment of theinvention.

DESCRIFTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As shown in drawing, the combinedbag closer and carrying handle of the invention is intended for use on acontainer such as the potato bag 21, such bags usually being made ofheavy paper 22. AT present it is the custom to close and sealsubltantially'flat hand grip 36, molded or otherwise formed frommaterial other than wire, such as synthetic plastic or equivalentdisposable, low cost sheet, or moldable, material 37. The upper portion38 of the hand grip 36 is relatively wide to conform comfortably to thedimensions of an adult hand, and includes a iingeraperture 39 defined bythe transverse bar 41 may be integral but more flexible, limp and toughto avoid breakage, or tearing. The terminal tip. 42 of lower portion 41is turned back upon itself, and adhered by staples, adhesive or heatsealing of the plastic to create an opening, or loop, 43, which receivesthe central portion 44 of the wire tie 27 The tip 42 is about the samewidth as the diameter of the neck 24 so as to conform with itsdimensions.

In FIG. 5 an embodiment is shown in which the tying means 26 is arelatively short, stiff wire 47, received in openings 48 and 49 in thetip 42. Instead of manual bending and twisting of the tie, the wire 47is adapted to be bent into clamping engagement around neck 24 by a tool,such as. pliers, staplers, or clamping devices.

In operation, the members 20 of the invention are attached to the potatobags, after filling thereof, and fonn collapsed handles ready for use bythe consumer. When the handle is lifted and the heavy bag raised, thebag pulls in one direction and thehand grip in the opposite direction,so that the wire loop cannot slip, but is tilted into a snubbedposition. Upon release, however, the handle grip may assist in removingthe wire loop,although it is preferred that the loops be applied tightlyand require untwisting for removal.

In FIG. 6 another embodiment is shown, in which the tip 42 is ofincreased thickness to form a head 50, about one-fourth inch inthickness. The handle means 35 is attached to the tying means 26, whenthe wire loops 28 and29 are bent together, by slipping the bead 50 underthe loop 30. The tightness of the parts prevents the bead from slippingout.

It will be seen that in the embodiments of FIGS. 1--5 annular means suchas the openings and 49, or the opening formed by closed loop 43 servesto prevent disengagement of the handle from the tie during use as ahandle on the bag, or thereafter. When the tie is separated from thebag, by unfastening or sliding, it remains attached to the handle exceptin the embodiment of FIG. 6.

I claim:

1. In a combined bag closer and carrying handle for use with Irelatively heavy potato bags, the combination of:

40 and the lower portion 41, which tapers to a reduced width as at 42.The upper portion 38 may be somewhat rigid and of increased thicknessfor comfort in use, while the lower portion a substantially flat handlehaving a relatively wide upper portion with a finger aperture adapted toserve as a hand grip, and a relatively narrow, integral, lower portiondimensioned to conform with the dimensions of the neck of said bag whenclosed;

tying means comprising a bendable, wirelike element connected to saidnarrow lower portion of said handle for tying around said neck toclosesaid bag and to permit said closed bag to be carried by saidhandle; and

annular means associated with the .lower portion of said handlepreventing disengagement of said tying means I therefrom while mountedon said bag.

2. A combined bag closer and carrying handle as specified in claim 1,wherein:

said narrow integral lower portion of said handle is turned back uponitself to form a transverse closed loop therein;

said tying means is an elongated bendable wire received in said loop andadapted to be twisted around said neck; and

said closed loop constitutes said annular means preventing disengagementof said wire from said handle.

3. A combined bag closer and carrying handle, as specified .in claim 1,wherein:

said narrow integral lower portion of said handle includes at least oneopening;

said tying means is an elongated, bendable metal wire received in saidopening; and

said opening constitutes said annular means preventing dis} engagementof said wire from said handle.

4. A combined bag closer and carrying handle as specified in claim 3,wherein: t

said elongated, bendable metal wire is relatively stiff and adapted tobe bent around said neck only with the mechanical advantage of aclamping tool; and said narrow lower portion of said handle isrelatively limp and conformable to the bent loop of said stiff wire. 5.A combined bag closer and carrying handle comprising:

an elongated bendable wirelike element adapted tohave-its.

ends bent around theneckof a bag andtwisted together;

into a closed loopy,

a handle. grip, of substantially flat configuration, said grip having awideiupperportion with anaperture for receiv ing the fingers-of a hand,and having an integral lower portion of reduced width includingat leastone aperture receiving and retaining" the central portion of said wireagainst,disengagement-from said handle grip;-and

whereby when said handle is lifted, it lifts said twisted wire rloop-intoztilted position on'said neck to firmly gripsaid neck. 6. Incombination;

a potato bagrof paper, having its upper'portion bunched,-

together to form an upwardly projecting neck; a wire tie looped tightlyaround said neck and having its ends twisted together;

a handgrip, of material other than. said bag or wire tie, havingtalower-tportionrin' secured engagement with said-wire tie loopforforminga handle on said bag; and

said lowe rrportion having at' least one aperture receiving andretaining said .wire tie thereon. 7.'Ai combination as specified inclaim 6, wherein'said hand grip is of. synthetic plastic-material ofpredetermined stiffness,

portion ofisaid-handgrip-is of enlargedthickness forminga terminalbeach:

